The Merchant Of Venice: A Graphic Novel

The Sunday Age

Sunday May 11, 2008

Frances Atkinson

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE: A GRAPHIC NOVEL

Gareth Hinds

Walker Books, $19.95

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has had the graphic-novel makeover and now it's Shakespeare's turn. The Merchant of Venice is ripe for adaptation - a blood-thirsty courtroom drama rippling with desire and greed. Bassanio, broke and keen to make a good impression on Portia, the girl of his dreams, borrows money from Shylock. Always happy to strike a watertight transaction, Shylock refrains from adding interest but insists on one point: if the loan is not repaid in three months, Antonio must "forfeit" a pound of flesh. Ouch. This visually engaging interpretation takes place in modern-day Venice. The text is stripped back but the essence of the tale remains. The entire book is drained of colour, but visually it's a splendidly detailed epic.

© 2008 The Sunday Age

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